


from the ashes

by flowerymoonlight



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, F/M, Fantasy, Phoenixes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 06:01:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23346595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowerymoonlight/pseuds/flowerymoonlight
Summary: So are you gonna die today? Or make it out alive?
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader, Steve Rogers & Reader
Kudos: 9





	from the ashes

The first thing you noticed was the cold. It seeped into your bones and dragged you further down. You weren’t falling but you were floating. You weren’t sure if you could open your eyes because even when you did pitch black darkness was all that greeted you.

You didn’t know where you were or what had happened to you. But you still felt an odd sense of calm. You weren’t scared – you were waiting. You were waiting for someone, something, to pull you up.

You didn’t know how much time went by while you were there, everything felt still yet constantly in motion. It didn’t make any sense and yet you were never confused. It felt like you could stay there forever.

But there was an inch you needed to scratch.

From one second to the next you feel your lungs burning as they fill with oxygen and your eyes are blinded by the light. Your ears are buzzing but you can hear frantic voices behind it. Slowly you blink, trying to get your vision back to normal.

You start to remember bits and pieces about what was before the void. You saw a boy, face bright and knuckles bloody. You saw him smiling and it sent warmth down to your heart and a need to protect him from himself. Steve, your mind provided and you would have smiled if it wasn’t for your stomach turning.

Slowly opening your eyes again, having adjusted to the light in the room, you could make out forms around you and listen more clearly to the sounds coming from them.

“What’s happening?! You told me she would be okay.” One of them hissed.

“You need to give her more time. Let her body adjust to the change.” The second voice was miles calmer and sounded the furthest from you. You had a feeling it was lingering close enough though.

The next moment you felt a fire start inside you till it consumed everything you felt, everything you saw. Even the breath in your lungs felt like it was burning you from the inside out. You opened your eyes staring at the ceiling of the room and seeing past it, to the night sky. Seeing every star all at once and listening to them talk between them.

And when you turned to watch the ground you could hear the trees sing to you, pulling you to them. Birds flying past you, feeling the wind at the tip of your fingers and having the urge to chase after it. And all too soon you were dropped back into the room you woke up in. Panting out of breath as your memories came back to you all at once.

A breath later Steve was all over you, touching you and making sure you were alright. He was speaking but you couldn’t hear him past the sounds of the forest still calling to something buried deep inside you and asking to come out. To be let free as if it was caged all your life.  
You hadn’t realized you had moved till you were across the room, pulling the door open and barely registering Steve yelling after you before he was stopped by Bucky. You didn’t stay to learn the rest of the conversation. You let pure instinct guide you forward as you run to the tree line that surrounded the cabin you were in.

You took a deep breath in, feeling the fire spread all over your back till it was burning your skin and it was breaking. You faintly realized that instead of the pain you were expecting to feel, relief flooded you. But that was overshadowed by wings flaring out from your back and lifting your feet off the ground.

Somehow the air in your lungs felt different, fresher, newer, right, when you were in the air flying over the trees. You felt your body start to change to accommodate. First were your eyes, changing and letting you see further than you ever thought was possible, and inside the forest, even catching a glimpse of Bucky’s pack as they run through it. You felt claws grow on your fingers and toes, ready to slice into any piece of meat you choose to. Your hair, being slickened back and away from your face.

But by far the strongest change was inside your ribcage, where the fire only grew until it was the only thing fueling you. Till it was all you could feel and only the wind over your wings would satisfy enough. It was addicting and you flapped your wings, doing laps and circles around yourself in the air. Filling with the elation of finally letting yourself be free.

You didn’t know how much time passed, nor was it your concern, before you found the cabin again. Seeing Steve waiting for you outside. You could see, even from above the trees, how he was biting his lip and bouncing his leg anxiously. It was the first moment that it occurred to you how new you both were to all of this and that he was most likely worrying himself sick.

You flew down to stand in front of him, and as much as you could see the relief in the way his muscles relaxed, you could smell the worry and confusion coming out of him. You frowned to yourself, realizing you could smell as well you could see, as well as you could fly into the sky.

“It gets less weird,” Bucky came out of the cabin, looking you over. You weren’t sure you would’ve cached the small twitch of his lips before but now it somehow let you know that he knew exactly what you were thinking.

“What did you do to her?” It was Steve’s turn to turn accusingly at him, pointing a finger and you could smell the fear and worry in him. You loved him for it but there was an answer to that question you could feel deep inside your bones.

“This is who I am.” It was the first time you had used your voice in a while but that still didn’t excuse how it sounded more like a growl than actual words. When your eyes went to Bucky he gave you a nod that calmed down some of your confusion.

“This is who you are?! Are you kidding me?! You are my best friend.” You could hear the wobble in Steve’s voice louder than you could hear your own heartbeat and it sent something unpleasant down your spine. And his eyes that were holding your own shone with unshed tears that made you gulp. “Who I trusted with a stranger that did god knows what to her!” Steve was turning back around to yell at Bucky and it surprised you when he didn’t look exasperated, not even for a moment.

“I didn’t do anything,”

“Steve,” you called his name before he could say something back to Bucky and make the situation even worse for himself. “This was always who I was, who I am. It was always inside me. I just couldn’t get it out until now.” Your voice came closer to normal as you talked, trying to soften it so you could convince Steve.

You could almost see Steve’s brain twisting and turning, trying to come to terms with it – and you. In the end, you loved Steve to death but you could never deny the fire inside you. Not even for him. Yet, when Steve sighed, seeming to at least accept your words for what they were, an unseen tension left your body at his acceptance.

“It’s time,” Bucky’s voice came over both of you like a cold breeze, chilling your flesh but urging you to follow after him. The fire inside you flared at his words, immediately understanding and itching to move.

You were turning to face the trees again before Steve stepped forward and bringing his hand up, stopping just short of your own arm. “Take me with you,” his eyes were pleading you and a big part of you was screaming for you to comply. But you knew in your heart this was something for you and you alone. He couldn’t fit in here.

“I’ll be right back, I promise.” You clasped his hand while it hovered in the air between you, being careful of your claws, and tried to convey with your eyes how important this was for you, but also how important he was to you.

With a last look at Steve’s eyes, hoping he would understand why you had to what you did, you turned. You watched as Bucky turned in his wolf form, gave one look your way, and started running towards the tree line. It was all you needed before you let the fire take control and take you up towards the stars.

It was your time to fly.


End file.
